Towel dispenser



April 23, 1940. C, PERRIN 2,198,176

TOWEL DISPENSER Filed March 3, 1937 Com ` INVENTOR.

Per/v Patented Apr. 23, 1940 p y 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOWEL DISPENSER Jay C. Perrin, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Towlsaver Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a `corporation Application March 3,1937, serial No. 128,801 6 claims. (Cl. 31a- 51) This invention relates to and has for an object shown in Fig. 6 taken at right angles thereto `*the provision of a simple and inexpensive towel and with the towels removed, `dispenser which will issue separate towels there- Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View of the from with each single movement of a dispensing dispenser with the towels broken away, taken member which constitutes the only moving part on line 8-8 of Fig. 6,

of the dispenser. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View show- An important object of this invention is to proing the construction of the cabinet and the relavide a dispenser of the character described for tion of thedispensing member thereto, `issuing folded towels, `.the fold of which makes Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end elevation showing i510 possible a simple form of cabinet and dispensing the manner of mounting the dispensing mem- 10 means.` l ber, and

Another object of this invention is to provide Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the dispensing a towel dispenser of the character described member.

wherein' the separate towels are engaged by the The towel dispenser of this invention com- `115 dispensing meansat corner portions thereof only prises a cabinet I adapted to contain a stack of `15 and are protruded from the cabinet whereby the `towels which are arranged to be dispensed through towels may be manually withdrawn, this arrangespaced parallel slots 2 and 3 formed in the bot- `ment simplifyingthe `construction and operation tom wall 4 of said cabinet. of the dispensing means and cabinet. In accordance with this invention a single mov- 2|)` `Another object of this invention is to provide able dispensing member 5 is operable by means '20 i ar towel dispenser of the character described havof a handle 6 exposed exteriorly of the cabinet, ing a plurality of independent dispensing slots `for engaging and projecting outwardly through and a `dispensing means arranged so that upon one of the dispensing `openings upon each move- `successive single movements of said means the ment thereof, ya portion of a towel whereby the towels will be alternately protruded through said latter may bewithdrawn from the cabinet. The 1 25 i slots, the `said means being inoperative after one construction and arrangement of the operating towelhas been protruded through a slot, to promember 5, the cabinet and the towels are such trude another towel, until the first one is with- "that when an edge of a towel is projected through drawnfrom the cabinet. one of the dispensing slots the dispensing means j `I have shown a preferred form of device in the is then inoperative to project another towel por- 30 *accompanying drawing, subject to modication, tion and becomes operative for this purpose only` within the scope of theappended claims, without upon removal of the towel first projected. This l departing from the spirit of my invention. i will `prevent vwasteful operations of the dispenser. 11'1 the dIetWngI Furthermore the arrangement is such that with Fig. `l is a perspective View of a towel dispenser one movement of the operating member a towelv 35 constructed in accordance with thisinvention, will be dispensed through one of the dispensing f Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the slots and opposite movement of said member will folded towels, extend another towel through the other slot, only Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing however, after the first towel has been withdrawn 4.0` the dispenser as when ready for dispensing operthrough the stnamed S1011 i ation, It has been found advantageous to project the `Fig. 4 is a similar fragmentary sectional View `corner only ofthe towels into position to .be `showing the dispenser as when operated to prograsped and Wlthdrawn through. the dlspensmg ject a portion of atowel fromthe cabinet, `taken Slots' Consequently the dlspensmg means here `x011 line 4 4 of Fig. 5 provided is adapted to engage corner port1ons45 Jonly of the towels and project such portions through said slots while the remainder of the towel remains within the cabinet and must be Fig.`5 is .a fragmentary sectional viewtaken l at rightuangles to Fig. 4 and showing the dispensing means as when in the position shown in Fig. 4 manually Withdrawn therefrom L Wit@ the @Wels omitted As here shown the dispenser is adapted to disoFlg# 6 1S a fragmentary SeCOHal View 0f the pense paper towels each of which is folded to dedispensing means as When moved t0 the Opposite ne a larger upper fold -1 and a smaller lower position shown in Fig. 4 for dispensing another fold 8 approximately half the Width 0f the ntowel, and taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 7. upper fold. Towels thus folded are stacked so j Fig. `7 is a fragmentary section of the structure that alternate ones are on the same side of the `55 cabinet. Therefore the lower folds of every other one of the towels in the stack are disposed to be protruded through one of the dispensing slots whereas the corresponding folds of the other towels of the stack are disposed to be protruded through the other dispensing slot.

'Ihe stack of toweling is supported approximately centrally by an inverted V-shaped supporting member slsecured upon the vbottom wall i of said casing, whereas on opposite sides of this member 9 are inclined supporting walls I0 andi I which also support the stack. The members 0, Ill and iI are so arranged with respect 'to the dispensing slots 2 and 3 that the lowermost towel of the stack will have rits lower fold .depended therefrom and lying over one'of said slots, while the remainder of the towel is supported by said rabout the axis of the handle.

members. When the lowermost towel as shown in Fig. 3 has been withdrawn through the opening 2 the next towel in the stack drops on to the supporting members 9, lil and I'I and the shorter lower fold thereof-will gravitate between the members-9 and I0 so as to llie over dthe opening 3 and when this 'towel has been withdrawn the next one will drop into position-s0 thatits lower fold will gravitate into position lying overthe opening 2.

The dispensing'member 5y comprises an arcuate bar I2 arranged to move in an arcuate-pathl upon the innner side of the side wall I3 of the cabinet, and is held thereon by the handle-6 `which operates'in an arcuate slot III. An arcuate guide member I 5 is xed to said bar and engagesin the slot I4 to prevent rotative movementzof thebar x Projecting horizontally from the ends of thebar 5 aredispensing pins I6 and I'l which are respectively movable with said ends out through the slots 2 and 3 as shown in Figs. 3 and '4. These pins are adapted to engage the corner portions :of .the towels or in other words, the lower folds of the Vtowels adjacent the ends of said folds'whereby to force said corners out through` the dispensing slots.

For the purpose of centering the towels and guiding them, V-shaped members I8 are secured on opposite side walls ofthe cabinet and extend into similar notches IB formed in the'ends `of the towels.

In the operation of the dispenser of this-invention, when a stack of towels is placed'inv the cabinet, the lower fold of the lowermost towel gavitates into position shownin Fig. 3 over the dispensing slot 2 and upon now graspingthe handle 6 and moving the dispensing member :5 forwardly the pin I6 describes an arc and engages and forces out through said slot the corner of the`lower fold engaged thereby. The operator may now grasp'this.A protruding corner and thereby withdraw the lowermost towel'from the cabinet,said towel sliding vover the inverted V-shaped member 9 vand passing freely out through the said slot. if the towel is allowed to remain in` the. cabinet after the corner thereof has been projected the dispensing means is rendered inoperative to dispense another towel. This isdue to the fact that the removal ofthe first towel allows the lowerr fold of the `next one to gravitate into position lying over the dispensing slotB. `On the rearward movement of the handle 6 the pin Il is moved so as to engage fthe lower fold of the next towel and force acorner thereof out through the slot 3.

each movement of the single dispensing member following withdrawal of the towel after the preceding dispensing operation. Thus although two dispensing openings are provided and the towels will be successively projected through said two openings upon successive movements of the operating member, removal of each towel is required in order that the next towel may be dispensed.

I claim: 1. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet having a dispensing slot at its lower end, means for supporting in said cabinet a stack of towels wherein each, when Vit is next opposed to said slot, has a corner portion which will gravitate to a position inclined adjacent to said slot, and a dispensing member supported by and operable ywithin the cabinet .and extensible through said pins projecting from the l'ends of said 'bar and for engaging the corner portions ofthe-towels.

2. A towel dispenser comprising Aa cabinet havinga dispensing slotat its lower.end,`imeans forfsupporting in said cabinet a stack of `towels whereineach, when it is next opposed to said slot, has a corner portion which'will'fgravitateto a position inclined adjacent to said slot,.and a -dispensing member slidably supported rby thel cabinet and extensible through said-"slotfor engaging said corner portion and protrudingfthe same through said slot, and means `operable exteriorly of said cabinet for moving said dispensing member as aforesaid, said dispensing member comprising an arcuatesbar, pins projecting from the ends of said bar iand for engaging the corner portions of 'the'towels said/"2.69

cabinet having an arcuate slot` therein, said exteriorly located operating'means being extended through said slot and being fixed to said bar. 3. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet having a plurality of dispensing slots, means for sup-2:

porting in said cabinet a stack of towels wherein alternate towels lhave portions disposed `to gravitate to position lying adjacent different slots, and a dispensingk member movable'back and forth and operable to engage said portions 350 of the towels and to force J them through said slots with each movement thereof, and cooperating means exteriorly of said cabinet for moving said dispensing member, said dispensing member comprising an arcuate bar, pins on thee ends of said bar, said cabinet having anl arcuate slot, saidoperating means being slidable in said arcuate slot and fixed to and supporting said bar.

4. A towel `dispenser comprising a cabinetihaving ,a plurality of dispensing slots in the bottom L50 wall thereof, said cabinet being adapted tosupport a stack of folded paper towels arranged in said cabinet so that folds of alternate towels will gravitate ,to position over one slot and corresponding folds of the other towels will gravitate;`

adjacent to the other slot, adispensing member movable back and forth on a wall of said cabinet to engage and move the folds of said towels through said slots, means operable exteriorly of the cabinet for moving said member backand forth and a fixed towel support extending upwardly fromthe bottom of the cabinetbetween said slots. i

5. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet, having dispensing slots in its bottom wall, means for;

supporting in said cabinet a stack of towels wherein alternate towels have fold portions which will gravitate to a position adjacent said slots, said towels of said stack each having an end notch and the notches being alined, an upright guide member carried by one of the walls of the cabinet and adapted to engage in said notches, a dispensing member slidably supported upon one of the walls of the cabinet and having extensions for engaging the fold portion of the lowermost towel and moving the same thru the adjacent slot and means operable exteriorly of the cabinet for sliding said dispensing member to move said extensions into engagement with said fold portion and project the same thru said slot as aforesaid.

6. A towel dispenser comprising a cabinet open for discharge of towels at its lower end, means for supporting in said cabinet a stack of towels wherein each, when it is next opposed to the opening in the lower end, has a fold portion which will gravitate to an inclined position adjacent said lower end of said cabinet, a dispensing member slidably supported upon and within the cabinet and being arranged to extend under the lower end of the stack of towels and movable for engaging the fold portion of the lowermost towel and protruding the same thru the lower end of the cabinet, the towels of said stack having alined notches therein at one end of the stack, an upright guide member carried by the cabinet and adapted to extend into said notches, said cabinet having a slot, a projection carried by said dispensing member and being slidable in said slot, and an operating handle xed to said projection for moving said dispensing member to protrude the fold portion of a towel as aforesaid.

JAY C. PERRIN. i 

